The Leg curl has many variations, such a the lying leg curl machine, and the seated leg curl machine. 5. The machine guides your form without much variance from repetition to repetition, and it forces you to use one precise motion through both phases of the curl. The decision of which leg curl machine is best depends on your goals. If you are getting tired of doing the same old leg curls for you hamstring, the good news is that you can still tone the hamstring, the glutes, and the entire leg by engaging in alternative exercises. Deadlifts are a great alternative to the leg curl for a few reasons. Alternative Names: Lying leg curl, prone leg curl, hamstring leg curl, pronated leg curl Type: Strength Experience Level: Beginner Equipment: Machine Muscles Targeted: Hamstrings Mechanics: Isolation Average Number of Sets: 3-4 with 10-15 reps each Variations: Seated, standing, stability ball, dumbbell, and banded leg curls Alternative: Deadlift, glute-ham raise Athletes perform this exercise to increase their balance and strength thereby improving sports performance. Swapping out the seated for the standing version every other week allows you to reap the benefits of both machines. Weights get added to the bar or, if this is a cable machine, the pin can be moved to change the resistance. Leg Curl Exercise Information. Here is the how-to: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, while … The configuration of the cable machine used for standing curls requires a foot or ankle strap that attaches to a cable and pulley that lifts and lowers stacked weight. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of leg curls (and alternative leg curl options) in detail shortly. This exercise is not always the easiest for many people -- your hamstrings and ankles might not be accustomed to lifting heavy objects. This configuration concentrates the stress of the lift directly on the hamstrings. First, they target your hamstrings, just like the leg curl. First, the seated lever machine gives you the option to curl with one leg or both legs. Buttock Lift. It’s an ideal workout for improving balance and leg strength. © 2019 www.azcentral.com. Your feet are placed close together and your heels are raised. If you are new to the routine, I recommended starting with just your bodyweight. Alternative: Floor hamstring raise, barbell stiff leg deadlift The standing leg curl or the single leg hamstring leg curl is a variation of the basic leg curl and a resistance exercise used for strengthening your hamstrings, calves, and butt. For the standing leg curl, here you get to work on your legs one after the one. left leg is on the machine pad. The most standard way to do a leg curl is through a leg curl machine, which is an investment most people don’t want to make for their home gym. Those who want to focus on improving power or endurance for the hamstrings, or who are rehabilitating a hamstring injury, will find that the seated version allows them to concentrate on a narrow fitness goal much more efficiently. Alternative Exercises to Leg Curls. It isolates the back of the thigh very well with minimal involvement of any other muscle group. The Nordic Hamstring Curl. The important aspect of this exercise is your back leg. Strength Training Anatomy; Frédéric Delavier, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. If you want to build or tone the inner thighs, the lateral squat is your friend. An alternative to the seated leg curl, the lying leg curl will work the hamstrings, glutes, shines, and calves. A leg curl can be done while lying down, standing, and even while seated. Leg raises have as many variations as ice cream has flavors. He has been lifting weights & writing about fitness for over 5 years. All rights reserved. This setup includes a flat bench to lie down on with a levered lifting bar at the end. If you’re going to be standing in a queue to use any machine at the gym, it’s likely to be the leg curl machine. But, because stopping the movement kills off momentum completely, you will get the main benefit a preacher curl. Does the Seated Leg Curl Give You Bigger Calves? The deadlift is a common weightlifting exercise. Even a barbell works. 5 Leg Machine Alternatives to Tone Your Legs The Path. Also, deadlifts work on your abs, glutes, and posterior trap muscles. The leg curl specifically targets the hamstrings, but due to the mechanics of the form, it’s a lift that must be performed with a machine, not free weights. Standing Leg Curls. Serious Strength Training; Tudor O. Bompa, et al. position for one second. Popular for building strong and shapely hamstrings, the leg curl machine never goes astray in any serious lower body workout regime. Standing Hamstring Curl. The standing leg curl or the single leg hamstring leg curl is a variation of the basic leg curl and a resistance exercise used for strengthening your hamstrings, calves, and butt. Standing leg curl; If you’re not sure exactly which machine at your gym is used for leg curls, here is an image of a traditional lying leg curl machine: What Muscles Do Leg Curls Work? The best standing leg curl alternatives are exercises that will simulate both hamstring flexion and hip extension. But those lifters that want to isolate one specific muscle, such as the hamstrings, will need an isolation exercise. You don’t curl the weight directly off the ground in the same way you would with biceps curls. It can be included in your leg routine or performed as a part of your overall workout routine. Strength training offers numerous compound exercises that target the major muscle groups of the lower body. Variability adds another wrinkle, in that you don’t have to choose one over the other permanently. Leg Curl Alternatives Now we’ve seen some variations on the traditional leg curl, let’s look at some alternative movements that will stimulate your hamstrings and posterior chain through a mixture of different stimuli and angles. Move your right leg back to the initial position and To a beginner, it may seem like deadlifts target the whole arm and the upper body more, but this simply isn’t true. Shop: Exercise Mat. This configuration doesn’t guide your form, forcing you to focus on finding the correct angle for the curl and executing it identically for each repetition. It also helps improve lower back strength, abs, and glutes; benefits that using a leg curl machine won’t be able to provide. We could go on for some time about the benefits of the reverse Nordic curl. The Nordic hamstring curl is a versatile exercise that can help you build bigger, stronger legs! Exercise 5: Lying Leg Raises. Required fields are marked *. Brian Ward is a fitness writer, founder & editor of TheWorkoutDigest. The preacher curl is a great bicep isolation workout. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift The single leg Romanian deadlift is another great alternative hamsting exercise to leg curls. and stretch your legs fully with the torso bent. Attach the other end of the band to your left ankle. The standing leg extension is more easily loaded, which means it's easier to make the exercise lighter or heavier. There are alternatives to leg curls … Also known as the leg curl or the natural glute-ham raise, the Nordic hamstring curl is one of the best exercises to strengthen your hamstrings.You can perform this exercise with a partner or with the help of some simple equipment. Why People Do Leg Curl Alternatives One of the main reasons is some people prefer to do their workouts at home rather than getting a gym membership. While the gliding leg curl doesn’t require a standard leg curl machine, it does require a barbell with multiple pin attachments and a standard weight bench. Athletes and advanced lifters may find that the variance available with the standing version provides a more thorough exercise. 13 Seated & Lying Leg Curl Alternatives (You Can Do at Home) Leg Press Vs Hack Squat: The Quest For Maximum Quadriceps Hypertrophy. Reverse lunges are actually real lunges. You have two broad options for leg curl machines -- seated or standing -- and the type that’s best for your program depends on several factors. You’ll actually be lying supine, holding onto the barbell during this movement so your forearms are added to the list of muscles worked. One benefit of these is that you only need a set of dumbbells and does not require any special machines or other equipment. What is the Best Standing Leg Curl Alternative? The standing version engages a broader network of muscles in your legs, back and neck to keep you upright. sure that the lever pad is on the back of the right leg while the knee of the The exercise is done using a resistance band or a cable machine. Tags: leg exercises. This lying leg curl substitute can easily be done by utilizing a dumbbell. Your email address will not be published. Bobby R. Goldsmith is a writer and editor with over 12 years of experience in journalism, marketing and academics. These leg curl alternatives can be done at the gym or even at home in some cases. Substitution #1: Dumbbell Lying Leg Curl Spending too much on leg machines, such as the leg curl and leg extension station, is not an efficient or effective way to train. Alternative dynamic hamstring exercises include standing long jumps, squat jumps, band pull-throughs and power cleans. This one is more of an alternative to regular biceps curl than to a preacher curl. But, to keep it simple, this exercise is a good leg extension alternative for several reasons: ... Leg Extension Alternative #6: Standing Leg Extension. You will then certainly ace at this leg curl alternative! You’ll actually be lying supine, holding onto the barbell during this movement so your forearms are added to the list of muscles worked. The standing hamstring curl primarily targets your hamstrings, as well as your abs as you stabilize your body. Also, there are machines that aid in carrying out a leg curl, and this makes it more fun. © 2021 (101Exercise.com). When looking for the best leg curl alternatives, the lateral squats are always the top choice for all fitness enthusiasts. 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